First usage of the name "Google" from 1942?
Denis, a co-founder of OPENXTRA, was reading a story to his son last night. He was rather surprised to find a character in the book called Google.
The book is called Circus Days Again by Enid Blyton, the book is copyright 1942, though the version quoted is from a battered 1962 edition. The reference starts on page 50.
“Yes - it’s just the sort of thing you’d like to do yourself, isn’t it,” grinned Stickly Stanley, who knew what a little monkey Lotta was. “Well, the third clown is Google. He’s really funny too. He has a wonderful motor-car, and everything goes wrong with it–and in the end it blows up into a hundred different pieces! Google has a fine little dog called Squib. You’ll like him. He helps Google with his nonsense.”
Are there any earlier references?